Litigation Costs – is the sky really the limit? – Mills & Reeve

Posted February 24th, 2022 in building law, case management, contracts, costs, disclosure, news by sally

‘The recent case of The Sky’s the Limit Transformation Ltd v Dr Mohammed Mirza [2022] outlines a judge’s view as to a way forward in resolving domestic building disputes in a time and cost effective manner.’

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Mills & Reeve, 23rd February 2022

Source: www.mills-reeve.com

Option agreements: court’s role not to ‘rewrite bad bargain’, says English judge – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 24th, 2022 in construction industry, contracts, drafting, news, planning by sally

‘It is not the role of the courts to “re-write a bad bargain” between commercial parties, an English judge has said, in a dispute over the wording of an option agreement.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 21st January 2022

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Bucking the Trend on Specific Performance Buckinghamshire Council v FCC Buckinghamshire Limited – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 24th, 2022 in contracts, local government, news, third parties, waste by sally

‘Clare Mendelle and James Hughes highlight the wide definition of Third-Party Income and the measures the courts are prepared to take to enforce the terms of longstanding contracts, by analysing the Buckinghamshire Council v FCC Buckinghamshire Limited case.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 21st January 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Appeal court overturns ‘unlawful’ ruling over Covid contract for Cummings friends – The Independent

Posted January 18th, 2022 in appeals, contracts, coronavirus, news, public procurement by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has overturned a ruling that a Covid contract given to a company whose founders were friends of former Downing Street adviser Dominic Cummings was unlawful.’

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The Independent, 18th January 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

High Court allows in-house lawyer to appear in $213m contract battle – Legal Futures

‘The High Court has taken the unusual step of allowing a Hong Kong media company to be represented in court by its in-house lawyer in a $213m contract dispute after its external solicitors withdrew.’

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Legal Futures, 17th January 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

FIDIC contracts – what’s new for 2022? – Practical Law: Construction Blog

Posted January 12th, 2022 in construction industry, contracts, news by sally

‘The title of my review of the last online FIDIC conference a year ago, FIDIC contracts – a preview of what is to come, now has a somewhat ominous ring to it as for the second year running the International Users’ Conference had to convene online in December 2021 due to the current COVID-19 situation. It felt a bit more “down to business” than last year with no online networking platform between Zoom sessions, but instead included some excellent, hosted, breakout discussion rooms, which I thought was a great addition. I particularly enjoyed the very open (collaborative) discussion around the new FIDIC Collaborative Contract that is a work in progress. More of that below.’

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Practical Law: Construction Blog, 11th January 2022

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com

Law firm that held deposits defeats claim over failed property development – Legal Futures

Posted January 11th, 2022 in contracts, deposits, law firms, news, sale of land by sally

‘Investors who lost money in a failed property development in Liverpool should sue their former solicitors rather than the law firm which held and paid out their deposits, the High Court has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 11th January 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New Acts – legislation.gov.uk

2021 c. 34 – Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualification (Dissolved Companies) Act 2021

2021 c. 33 – Critical Benchmarks (References and Administrators’ Liability) Act 2021

2021 c. 35 – Armed Forces Act 2021

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Company Law: How do the courts interpret the articles of association? – Bloomsbury Professional Law Online Blog

Posted December 1st, 2021 in company law, contracts, drafting, interpretation, limitations, news by sally

‘A common problem with the articles of association is the addition of poorly drafted precedents with unambiguous terms. The court is often asked to make judgments on such provisions and to interpret the true meaning of the words used. To instigate the process of establishing the intention of the parties, it is important to consider firstly the articles in terms of their contractual obligations.’

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Bloomsbury Professional Law Online Blog, 22nd November 2021

Source: law.bloomsburyprofessional.com

Enforcement of adjudicator’s decision refused as proceedings were an abuse of process – Practical Law: Construction Blog

‘We often hear cases referred to as having turned on their facts and, if there was ever an example of this it would be the judgment handed down in October 2021 in G&D Brickwork Contractors Ltd v Marbank Construction Ltd. The parties’ names will ring a bell with some of you because, earlier in the year, O’Farrell J refused to grant an injunction restraining G&D from bringing adjudication proceedings, and last month’s judgment from Joanna Smith J deals with the enforcement of the adjudicator’s decision.’

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Practical Law: Construction Blog, 24th November 2021

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com

The law of England and Wales can accommodate smart legal contracts, concludes Law Commission – Law Commission

Posted November 26th, 2021 in computer programs, contracts, Law Commission, legal services, news by sally

‘The Law Commission has today confirmed that the existing law of England and Wales is able to accommodate and apply to smart legal contracts, without the need for statutory law reform. The Law Commission notes that, in some contexts, an incremental development of the common law is all that is required to facilitate the use of smart legal contracts within the existing legal framework.’

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Law Commission, 25th November 2021

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

No need for new laws on smart contracts, Law Commission says – Legal Futures

Posted November 25th, 2021 in contracts, interpretation, Law Commission, news by sally

‘There is no need for new legislation on smart contracts because the existing laws of England and Wales can accommodate them, the Law Commission has said.’

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Legal Futures, 25th November 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law firm fights off wages claim from consultant solicitor – Legal Futures

Posted November 18th, 2021 in contracts, law firms, legal aid, news by sally

‘An employment tribunal has rejected claims for unpaid wages and holiday pay from a solicitor who worked as a consultant at a law firm and it decided was not an employee.’

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Legal Futures, 18th November 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

The LADs are Alright – Local Government Lawyer

‘Laura Campbell discusses liquidated damages in construction contracts, focussing upon the long-running Triple Point saga which ended in the Supreme Court this year.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 12th November 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

“Triple Point Technology Inc v PTT Public Company Limited [2021] UKSC 29” – Atkin Chambers

Posted November 4th, 2021 in contracts, damages, delay, negligence, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘The United Kingdom Supreme Court, allowing an appeal by PTT from the Court of Appeal, has clarified the relevant principles of English law relating to the construction of clauses providing for the payment of liquidated damages for delay. The Supreme Court has confirmed that, unless clear words in the contract provide otherwise, liquidated damages for delay will be an accrued right which is recoverable where the contract is terminated either under its terms or at law for repudiation.’

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Atkin Chambers, 6th October 2021

Source: www.atkinchambers.com

Are we exclusive? High Court reviews key contractual principles in the context of ‘casual’ commercial relationships (Zymurgorium Ltd v Hammonds of Knutsford plc) – 3PB

Posted November 3rd, 2021 in chambers articles, company law, contracts, news by sally

‘This case relates to a dispute arising in the context of a longstanding commercial arrangement, the terms of which had never been reduced to writing. The court considered whether an overriding agreement had been expressly entered into by the parties, as well as whether a number of terms formed part of the agreement between them, either by implication or subsequent variation. Such terms included an agreement on exclusivity, a duty to act in good faith, and a duty to use best endeavours, among others. The case also explores the requirements for a relational contract by reference to the overriding agreement and a number of Specific Supply Agreements (SSAs), and serves as a useful reminder for parties entering commercial arrangements of the pitfalls of failing to reduce their agreement to writing, particularly in the light of the fallible nature of oral evidence. Written by Mariya Peykova, barrister at 3PB Barristers.’

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3PB, 15th October 2021

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

UK government ordered to reveal firms awarded ‘VIP’ Covid contracts – The Guardian

‘The UK government has been ordered to reveal which companies were given “VIP” access to multimillion-pound contracts for the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the early months of the Covid pandemic, in a ruling from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).’

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The Guardian, 18th October 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ruling highlights risk of personal liability of partners in dental practices – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 16th, 2021 in contracts, dentists, negligence, news, partnerships, self-employment, vicarious liability by sally

‘A recent preliminary judgment by the High Court in London provides a stark reminder of the potential exposure for personal liability faced by partners in dental practices and the need for appropriate contractual protections to mitigate those risks.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 15th September 2021

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Dwyer we not able to terminate our contract for COVID-19? – Practical Law: Construction Blog

Posted September 14th, 2021 in contracts, coronavirus, news by sally

‘Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, a key question for practitioners has been whether COVID-19 constitutes a force majeure event and so entitles parties to relief under contracts that include force majeure provisions. Much has been written on how little case law there is on this topic and how English law does not recognise force majeure as a standalone concept.’

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Practical Law: Construction Blog, 8th September 2021

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com

UK Supreme Court clarifies scope of ‘lawful act economic duress’ – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 7th, 2021 in contracts, duress, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘A recent decision by the UK’s highest court has clarified the circumstances in which a party to a commercial contract is entitled to rescind that contract on the grounds of ‘economic duress’ under English law.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 6th September 2021

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com